Oregon Public Broadcasting

In September of 1984, 751 people in The Dalles, mysteriously got sick with Salmonella. Investigators eventually found the source of the bacteria: salad bars at 10 area restaurants.

Color-enhanced scanning electron micrograph showing Salmonella typhimurium (red) invading cultured human cells

Federal agents determined that the Salmonella had been purposefully sprinkled on area salad bars by a follower of the Rajneeshee cult. Nobody died, but 45 people were hospitalized.

It's considered the first bioterrorism attack in the United States.

The really important investigative work on that incident was conducted by an agency that's not widely known.

It's called the Epidemic Intelligence Service, and its agents have waged war against major outbreaks of sickness all over the world for nearly 60 years now. 

Mark Pendergrast writes about the EIS in his book Inside The Oubreaks.

I asked him why we haven't heard more about this agency.